In Her Name (RP IC Thread)

It's a grim age to live in. War on almost every continent, countryside is terrorized by beasts and bandits, religious unrest is increasing and more. Talk of dragons have been spreading.
Even the mightiest of kingdoms have begun to worry about maintaining order within their own borders. Propaganda and increased patrols have calmed the people somewhat. It will not last. Unless something is done and soon, Ostyaka will have two wars to deal with.

King Ludvig of Ostyaka has called a Holy Crusade into the scorching sands of Acralacan lands. Elusine's actual remains have been found and they must be reclaimed and the sinners punished for keeping Her magnificence away from Her homeland. The crusade is straining on the edge of success, it will just need one final push.
Resources are starting to run out, the Ostyakan people sense it. Only if Elusine's holy glory is restored will Ostyaka survive.
Messengers were sent with haste to all corners of the world where aid might be found.

Today king Ludvig would see who answered. This age needs heroes.

Travelers arriving to Ostyaka's capital, Oswil, they would be greeted by tired and nervous guards and shuffling crowds. The castle wasn't hard to spot, it towered over any other building in the city.
Streets of Oswil had the usual crowds of people. One could spot the occasional Elusine Knights aiding the city guard in investigating crimes or blasphemy. Elusine Knights stuck out in their black, blue and gold. Several times more grand than the guards and better armed too. Citizens forced to interact with them were respectful, like being scolded by an angry parent heads bowed and humble.
One traveling to the castle through the streets would spot a rather large crowd gathered around a female priest administering blessings of Elusine to the poor and weak, hearing their worries and offering advice. Not far from that was an execution.
Knights Elusine had gathered criminals, heretics and blasphemers in public and either executed them or punished them. A common woman tried to stop an execution of their husband but was held back by a knight. After her beloveds head was lopped off, she was released and she picked up her husbands head, crying hysterically. Eventually she was dragged aside to make way for others that were to receive Elusine's wrath.
There was to be order, no matter the cost. Knights Elusine were under orders and they were never to question Her will.

Nearing the castle, Knights Elusine were more numerous, performing various responsibilities. The gate was open and those who wished to enter were halted at the gate by a bored looking city guard sitting behind a sturdy desk placed to the left side of the gate.

Inside the castle, one who possesses a large spirit but small physical presence, was free to do whatever he wished. If he could escape his "owners'" cute affections, that is.
"Where are you Mr Whiskers?"
The noblewoman fussed and searched her chambers feverishly for her precious pet.
"Where have you gone? We need to impress lady Gwyneth with your new hat I made you!"
For Benjamin's sake, hopefully he had a plan to get out of the guest room in time.

Gunther arriving early in the morning at the crack of dawn he walked into the city and smelled the air, It smelled of cooking bread and normal city smell. He walked into the Capital of this Provence, Ostyaka he then went to the nearest bakery and bought some bread before heading off to the castle seeing that the local guard had been setting up for an execution he did not mind it was their beliefs not his so if was heretical in their books so be it. He found the closest tavern next to the castle gates and walked in. The bell chiming as he walked in and looked at the bar maiden and said in his loud booming voice. "Hello, my friend how much for a room just for a single day?" Gunther looking to around the tavern to see if their was a menu for some food he could purchase so he could have breakfest.

As the green eyed redhead walked into the city, she would perhaps strike the average observer as an unusual figure to be walking into the city. Firstly was the odd assortment of gear upon her person, the purpose of which would range from the obvious, albid unexpected such as the grappling hook fired by a crossbow on a specially designed gauntlet, the tool of someone with experience breaking into places, to items that would be very hard to place as something most would use as tools of any trade, such as a decent amount of chalk.

The second thing that made Elisa stand out was the invitation she clutched in her hands, along with her unyielding manner of walking, passing Knights Elusine as if they were normal people to her. As she strode towards the castle, the woman witnessed the execution of the man and while she was privately disgusted at the sordid event, there was little she could do about it that wouldn't dramatically curtail her life expectancy via sword blow to the head just for speaking her mind on the subject.

When Ferifan finally arrived at the castle, she placed her invitation onto the guard's desk, and waited to see what he had to say about it, and to see if anyone else arrived for the Crusade she had been invited to join. Needless to say, she wasn't planning to show what was the most likely reason she'd been asked to come here given how it would likely cause quite the stir that wouldn't end well for her.

Shaila walked alone through the streets of Oswil. The guards here seemed rather on edge, and judging from the executions in progress, she had an idea why. Had things really gotten that bad? She shook her head. She never liked executions. Death was always a last resort in her mind but sometimes it was a necessary punishment. She only hoped it was necessary in this case. She did her best to put the thoughts out of her mind. She wasn't in a position to change or do anything about it, so best to keep out.

She took note of the rather high number of Knights Elusine. An order she could have joined, but she felt it didn't truly fit her and her beliefs. Though that was not to say that they weren't close. They were quite a close fit, but she found the Kind Wayfarers to be a perfect fit. No doubt the knights were here to relieve the already tired and thinly stretched guard.

She pressed on toward the castle, paying the sights around her little mind. Perhaps she'd find a chance to make things better in time, but for now, it was not that time.

The wind beat against the fortress walls creating a horrible howling noise that woke Ferdinand in his chambers. Not matter how many decades he had lived within the walls of Nordenlich he could never become used to that sound. The way it managed to make it’s way through stone with ease the way it seemed to sting his ears. Seeing as he was awake he sat himself up and looked around his modest chamber before getting dressed in his armor. A relatively simple task, around ten minutes later he opened the door and entered the large hallway full of the other priest’s chambers. After a brief walk through halls of the ancient fortress he found himself in the courtyard where hundreds of knights were assembled. He couldn't count them all as they went about their business collecting their horses and preparing carts. They had received a message from the south a few weeks ago, a call for crusade from the southern king. A strange thing for the south to ask anything of the north. Most southerners that had even heard of them regarded them as barely civilized as best, heretics at worst.

Any kind of decrees sent to them from the south were usually ignored but this was different. This was a call for holy war, a chance to avenge the misdeeds they had heard of from the occasional trader. To plunder the riches of the undeserving, to purge heresy and spread the faith. An opportunity he himself told the Grandmaster that this was a sign from the Aldenvater that the North will come to the aid of the south. Joined in righteous fury North and South will fight against heretics and scoundrels that must be erased from this world. The Grandmaster had agreed, and his of his brothers and sisters that volunteered were preparing for the journey ahead. He walked over to stables to fetch his own horse, a rather marvelous and large beast bred to survive the harshest of conditions.

After completing a few other tasks in preparation for the journey like securing his belongings he wouldn’t be carrying with him on horseback he and the other knights mounted and waited for the word of the man put in charge of their forces in the crusade. A High Priest Adalwolf, his mentor and father figure who rode to near the gates. No words were really needed as they all knew their purpose and the hardships ahead. The gate was opened and the knights went forth from their ancient capital placed on the tallest of mountains. They would begin heading south collecting more volunteers from the smaller forts and villages along the way going from a meager force of knights to a true army of thousands.

Several days of marching lead them out of the frozen mountains to the plains of the kingdom of Ostyaka. The journey was somewhat peaceful other than having to deal with terrified peasants that thought it was some form of invasion when they saw the army of strange knights coming down from the north. This was solved through a mixture of ignoring them or having one of the less intimidating knights explain their purpose in the south. Besides these sometimes amusing distractions they arrived at the capitol city marching down the main road towards the entrance into the city itself.

Ferdinand who was near the front of the formation of mounted knights found the sound of thousands of footfalls behind him dull so he raised his voice. He started singing, his voice wasn’t perfect but as a warrior priest of their order he had memorized a variety of hymns and religious chants he would hum every now and then. It started out on a low note, his helmet blocking most of the sound he made but it was enough for another knight near him to take notice. They turned their helmet towards him for a moment before the High Priest himself joined in. Soon enough the entire formation had begun as the singing spread all the way down the army. Serenading the surrounding countryside with the sound of thousands of voices. Most of which are male though a few female knights and local volunteers were among them. As they approached the city itself the head contingent of knights including Ferdinand rode up to the gates leading into the city while the rest of the army went about resting after the long journey.

The High Priest gave Ferdinand a nod when they made it to the gate to which he pulled something out from under his cloak. “The Knights of the Holy Nordlichine Order have come to answer the call for crusade as indicated by this decree!” He yelled out to whoever was stationed at the gate. He held the message in his hand rolled out in front of him.

Gunther arriving early in the morning at the crack of dawn he walked into the city and smelled the air, It smelled of cooking bread and normal city smell. He walked into the Capital of this Provence, Ostyaka he then went to the nearest bakery and bought some bread before heading off to the castle seeing that the local guard had been setting up for an execution he did not mind it was their beliefs not his so if was heretical in their books so be it. He found the closest tavern next to the castle gates and walked in. The bell chiming as he walked in and looked at the bar maiden and said in his loud booming voice. "Hello, my friend how much for a room just for a single day?" Gunther looking to around the tavern to see if their was a menu for some food he could purchase so he could have breakfest.

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The maiden working the bar was having a busy morning and she had developed a good blush and a sheen of sweat. The size of Gunther made her eyes go wide in surprise along with other early patrons nearly choking on their breakfast seeing the giant walk in.
"Oh, umm, hello mister. You can sleep for free with the dog in the back or pay 10 copper for a peasants rest. Rooms are upstairs."
She finished wiping the table and stretched her aching back, looking at Gunther expectantly.

The mighty ferret wasted very little time in looking about in the guest room; he'd had a whole year of sneaking around, his knowledge of the building enabling him to find little holes, behind furniture - he'd met some of the mice here & there in his 'younger' days, and while he had nothing against them, he knew that the local cats definitely hunted.
Alas, he'd immediately try to slither beneath a bed through a hole, attempting to get to the hallway and~...
Hm. If he could, the tiny thing would at least try to attempt to latch onto whoever's leg came by - preferably a guard, who's armour would be thick enough for him to hide in and not be felt!
Of course, if there was any trolleys or the like, he'd jump on there - in general, he'd pray to find something to get away.

Today marks the day that Whiskers is no more; and SIR BENJAMIN, IS-- Ooh, is it breakfast, or.. Lunch time? He couldn't tell, but he was sure he could smell something through the halls!

Ori spun his spear behind him as he walked the paved road. Behind him were his retinue of 9 personal guards, trained from the best of the best in the fighting pits, once slaves, now deadly killers. Ori sighed at the sad sight of the city, the alleyway smelled like shit, beggars lined up the streets like the desolate tents. Dirty children played with sticks oblivious to the status of the city. Ori sighed and spoke in his native tongue "Mori, when you went to take a shit, did you look back and see this city instead?" at the sad sight of the city. He spat in distaste as he reached the square where the executions were being performed. He pulled out a silver talent from his pouch and handed it to one of the widows, he squatted down and stared at the woman's puffy eyes "I'm sorry for your loss" he spoke with a slight accent. He glared at one of the knights, he wasn't feeling very diplomatic. He went straight towards the tavern to drown in spirits. He eyed the patrons then his eyes focused on the giant of a man @Valonox . He waved his guards to wander off to buy their own drinks. He sat by the giant and tilted his head at the barmaid, winking, flashing a bright smile "Hello there darling, why don't you fetch me and my friend here a drink?" and tossed her 4 copper talents.

Gunther was surprised by the inviting gentlemen giving him a free drink he spoke with his loud voice that filled the room. "A pleasure to meet you friend." But Gunthers eyes peered around the room counter the targets that could possible try to end him but never the less he then looked at the maiden "Along with breakfest." Pulled a gold talent out and handed it to her. "Keep the change." He nodded to her. "Enjoy it." Then Gunther smiled at the man that bought him a drink. "What is your name friend I am Gunther."@GrimFritz